Antibacklash attachment for fishing reels



Sept. 27, 1949. R. R. BOLLMAN ANTIBACKLASH ATTACHMENT FOR FISHING HEELS Filed Sept. 24, 1947 IN VEN TOR. f Mm I BY A rrale/v 15 Patented Sept. 27, 1949 UNITED PATENT OFFICE 332,3 ,331 ARHBAGKLASH ATTAGHMENT Fon EG HEELS em R- B lo Cjine enetil Qhie. d pnlica tion'september 24, 119.4%, Serial N o. 775,7'19. e ene ee -e thi n e tiee ates. to fi hi g ee s O the nee adapted to b used in casting artificial sen, i l ade e ed se t la t a eaten the dey -e n t e mm o atta hm n hie met hein'onfited on a conventional fishing reel for .he purpose r stoppin rotati n cf, the $11 01 we! t it li eta ele'the w te i' i e eel e enventien e etw ti n oeae re he use f; th hu r reventing, t e she-OI. from continuing to rotate after. the bait inehe et e e w mey men s ying; .ee ieba ls fe tures. 9: cons u tion heretofore hate been proposed, but. such equipment is nsually of an intricate natnre and ene'eepemn 'i ee n y e ens ve. o qe uet b t d i e i ble. ser ice un ss used. enemy.-

" e r ev ebiee t o this in en io has be n tel men e n klash devi fie m 1 inexpensi n ur w e re dily ma be enema t? e fish re aut ati al te' e n- .27.9 th yut i th lin i 'a eexeen e w th the forward movement of the bait The e ee ews o th p esent vent en 9 ssen ie l of e b eeket e n e tl el ol r h eef'ew er et er Suitable a s by which. the r k ma e a t ned r sen b ad ustment e. eteti ne B rt Qt he eel; 'f net ee the em et peeit the ha dle-r he bracke we e e r n n l e e i me han h eh e es av n an eye eat its spaeri enee brake" el eee i e et ieetine tnreeeh t for engagement with the spool of the reel. This control assembly projects in a generally upward direction from the reel and the'l ine is'threaded r u h t e e theme th h h ts 0f the rod in conventional mann'er. The attachment is positioned on'th e' reel for ngag m n of h brake t the spool o long as the line is ent that any tension on the line will drag the brake eyelet downwardly, and the device is so construeted that this movement effects avrelati'v liftin action on the brake thereby relieving the spool so that it may rotatefreely. I enskin of the line during casting eontinnes under the rw r m nt he ast bai h til h ait e'l t mem etem: h r fere the r ke j l e ee et esi en n: th e ee is es: abll'to pay omit li ne ireely until the bait'reaches 2 the line d ne to.- forward inpvement is relasedh the eewe erd re su e n th eyelet f h we backlash dei/ice is released, and the brake set automatioally to step further rotation of the sPQQL.

A y al e ce e stmete n e e rdenee with the present invention and embodying these features show h draw n s, in w ch-:-

E glill 1 a fro t e ion f a hin ee equipped with the anti-backlash attachmen Eigure 2: is an end elevation of the reel and attachment.

Figure, 3 is a section. taken longitudinally hrough the reel showin h an i-b la h e: vice; and a. portion. of the reel with the brake in set positions.

Eigure 4 is a transverse section through the reel showing: position oi the anti-backlash tdievice during casting; with the brake. in off, posie on.

In the device shown in the drawings, the reel indicated generally at I and may be of con: ventional construction, comprising a spool 2,, end plates 3 and A, the fiormer housing; the gear mech: anism, a cross-bar 5: and. a saddle 6, both of which extend' between the. end plates 3 and; 4, and an operatin handle I. The: spool 2 includes end flanges 8' and 9, the. flange 9 acting as a brake (1mm 'in conjunction with the brake element. of the anti-backlash device. The reel also may be equipped with al'evel wind apparatus as indicated generallyat HI The anti-backlash eqmpment'of the present invention'is indicated generally: at H. In the constrneti'on shown, this unit includes a bent sheet-. metal bracket E2 in the form of-a G-clamp having rastenin screws lit-I3 in the outer arm' 84 thereof, wh e the opposite arm {5 resides in engagenient ween a stationary portion of the; fishting-reel, fosexampl'e, the end wall 4. 3 'I;-hef arm {5 also has an ear I6 bent from it angularly; as shown in Figures 1 and 3. This member constitutes a seat for the control meoh an snr of the-attachment In theconstrnction shown, the C-cl -alnp I2 is s'ornewhat elon en. the eme erewe r ar l c ted: at P e ends of it so as to obtain purchase uponthe els Well 4 e thi r e Th ee me e fieb e ma e eeiu tm'eate e: m d i re p t to th pa n f h ett ehmen t h e as um, 5 of the reel by loosening one clamp screw13-orthe enter. Also; the Q-clanrp is of substantial whereby attachment may be fastened upon theend of its cast. thist iniathe tension-inf varions types to accommodate difference 3 in spacing from the periphery of the end wall to the periphery of the brake drum or spool.

A yieldable post i! is mounted upon the seat 16 of the bracket so as to project above the reel by the terminal portion I8 of the post being located substantially at the midpoint of the reel.

The post i! is hollow and a yieldable shaft it] extends downwardly through the post terminating in a brake member 2 which traverses a bore 2! in the seat It of the bracket. In the preferred construction, the post I! and the yieldable shaft 19 are made in the form of a helically wound spring, the initial portion of which embraces the brake member 28, then extends upwardly to the terminal portion l8, and then returns in enlarged diameter to the seat Hi. In this manner, the post and shaft may be constructed as an integral unit made of wire with the bottom of the post being mounte upon the seat It as by soldering. However, the post and shaft may be made of other resilient materials such as rubber, rather than wire,- and also may be made as separate units joined together at the terminal I8. The brake element 29 preferably is constructed of friction material, for example fibre, reed, or the like, and its end is angulated as at 22 to fit the brake drum 9.

An arm 23 terminating in an eyelet '24 is fastened as by soldering to the terminal portion 18 of the post, the arm 23 extending in a forward direction for substantial alignment with the fishing rod so that the arm is approximately in longitudinal alignment with the rod, but spaced above it. The eyelet is formed as a double convolution of the wire from which the arm 23 may be made, and the eyelet terminates in an ear 25. The convolutions of the eyelet'are spaced apart from one another a slight distance and the ear facilitates the introduction of the fishing line between the convolutions; hence, the line need not be threaded through the eyelet in order to associate the attachment with the reel and rod.

In the use of the device disclosed in the drawings, it is attached conveniently to the rim of the end plate on the left hand side of the reel and in the case of most reels, at a point near the cross-bar and back of the level wind mechanism Hi. The unit is mounted in such a position that with the post relaxed the brake element just touches the drum 9 of the spool, and set screws l3 are then tightened lightly until the brake is set in respect to the drum 9. To obtain the final operating adjustment, the line of the rod is placed through the eyelet 24 and, of course, proceeds through the eyelets of the rod end as the bait or artificial lure is attached to it at the end of the rod, The line, for adjustment purposes, may be tensioned conveniently by holding the spool and the rim against rotation with the left thumb and drawing backwardly upon that portion of the line which is between the first and second eyelets of the rod. Through this manipulation the portion of the line between the reel and the first eyelet is drawn taut and in consequence, the eyelet 24 of the anti-backlash device will be lowered, moving from the position shown in Figure 2 to the position shown in Figure 4. As the eyelet 24 is lowered, post I! and the shaft within the post are bent, as shown in the dot-dash lines of Figure 2, thereby raising the brake element 26. The c-clamp i2- is so ad justed that this operation will cause the brake element 20 to be lifted above the hub periphery 9 about the thickness of a dime. If the brake is not released sufiiciently, the post may be elevated to a higher position through adjustment of one screw l3 or the other. On the other hand, if the line is payed out too freely, then the attachment may be lowered to bring the brake element 28 a little closer to the brake drum.

If at any time it is desired to relieve the reel of all possible braking action, the anti-backlash device may be thrown out of operation merely by pushing the post forwardly with the thumb so as to lower the eyelet 24 to a point where it is substantially in alignment with the reel spool and the first eyelet of the rod.

l The anti-backlash device is constructed to enable the line to follow the level wind attachment Ill without altering the braking action. This is accomplished by virtue of the spring structure of post 18 which inherently is free to be twisted about its longitudinal axis. The arm 23 forms in effect an extended lever so that the eyelet 24 is free to move about with very little resistance. Therefore, in casting'or rewinding, the eyelet 24 moves back and forth following the movements of the line as guided by the level winding device, at the same time keeping the braking element 20 raised from the drum 9.

The device of the present invention in view of its simplicity of construction," may be manufactured at but a fraction of the cost of built-in anti-backlash devices, and is of simple fool-proof construction; hence, capable of giving satisfactory service under the most adverse conditions.

Having described m 'invention, I claim: 7

1. An anti-backlash device for a fishing reel comprising, a yieldable post having a yieldable shaft at its'interior terminating in a brake shoe adapted for engagement with a spool of a fishing reel, an arm extending from the upward extremity of the post and terminating in an eyelet, and a clamp bracket for sustaining the lower end of said post and having a bore which is traversed'bysaid brake shoe, said clamp bracket being adapted for engagement with a stationary portion of a fishing reel.

2. An anti-backlash device for a fishing reel comprising; a yieldable post having a yieldable shaft at its interior terminating in a brake shoe adapted for engagement with a spool of a fishing reel, an arm extending from the upward extremity of the post and terminating in an eyelet, and a clamp bracket for sustaining the lower end of said post, the said post being constructed of a helical coilspring having its bottom endwise convolutions seated on said bracket.

3. An anti-backlash device for a fishing reel comprising, a yieldable post having a yieldable shaft at its interior terminating in a, brake shoe adapted for engagement with a spool of a fishing reel, an arm extending from the upward extremity of the post and terminating in an eyelet, and a clamp bracket for sustaining the lower end of said post, the said post and shaft within the post being constructed of helical coil springs joined together at the terminal portion of the post.

4. An anti-backlash device for a fishin reel comprisinga C-clamp having a portion extending therefrom constituting a seat, a helical spring fastened on said seat projecting upwardly therefrom, a yieldable shaft residing within said post and having one end connected to the upper extremity thereof and the opposite end carrying a brake element, the said brake element having a portion residing at a point underneath said seat, and an eyelet at the end of said helical spring.

5. An 'anti-backlash device for a fishing reel comprising, a clamp device, a seat extending from the clamp device and having a guide aperture, a shaft member disposed in said guide aperture and having a brake portion underneath said seat and a yieldable portion at the opposite side of said seat, a yieldable post mounted on said seat around said shaft with the upper end of the shaft and post being interconnected for bending movement in unison whereby the shaft is moved longitudinally through the guide aperture, and an arm extending longitudinally from the post and terminating in an eyelet.

6. An anti-backlash device for a fishing reel comprising, a C-clamp having a portion extending therefrom constituting a seat having a guide aperture, a shaft member disposed in said guide aperture and havin a brake portion underneath said seat and a yieldable portion at the opposite side of said seat, a yieldable post mounted on said seat around said shaft with the upper end of the shaft and post being interconnected for bending movement in unison whereby the shaft is moved longitudinally through the guide aperture, and an arm extending longitudinally from the post and terminating in an eyelet, the said clamp being constructed and arranged for mounting upon the end plate of a fishing reel for engagement of the brake element of the attachment with the adjacent hub of the spool 0f the fishing reel.

7. An anti-backlash device for a fishing reel comprising, a clamp device adapted to be secured to the frame of a fishing reel, a flexible tubular post having one end secured to said clamp device, an elongated flexible brake element disposed within said post having an end secured to the free end of the post, said brake element being slidably associated with said clamp device and arranged to engage frictionally the spool of a fishing reel, and an eyelet associated with said post adapted to receive the line from the reel to actuate said post and brake element.

8. An anti-backlash device for a fishing reel comprising a clamp device adapted to be secured to the frame of a fishing reel, an elongated flexible brake element slidably associated with said clamp device and arranged to engage frictionally the spool of a fishing reel, a flexible post for sustaining said brake element with the brake element joined to the post and arranged to cause longitudinal movement of the brake element relative to the spool when the post is sprung angularly, an arm extending from said post and an eyelet at the end of said arm adapted to receive the line from the reel to actuate said post and brake element.

ROLAND R. BOLLMAN.

No references cited. 

